sense of place: songs of the local-universal
AIMS:
- Look at examples of songs written with a context in mind
- Explore case studies: Waterloo Sunset and Atlantic City
- How are these songs constructed
- Write for a context
- Songs have context. Sometimes songwriters use a location or sense of place to tell stories and hang emotions from
- Locating your song in or around a place can be a good way of unlocking feelings or lyrical ideas
- This technique can span across genres and interpretations
- Quickfire: everyone think of a title that has a place/location...
Listen to the song above and follow the lyric sheet. Consider the following questions then THINK-PAIR-SHARE your answers:
- Highlight phrases which 'locate' the song
- What feelings do these phrases evoke?
- Are there characters in the song? if so how are they linked with The Location?
- How do the characters and location fit with the structure of the song?
- Try and work out the chord/melody/structure
compare and contrast
Well they blew up the Chicken Man in Philly last night
Now they blew up his house too
Bruce Springsteen
Listen to ATLANTIC CITY (both versions) Consider question 1-4 above AND
- How does Atlantic City differ from Waterloo Sunset?
- Refer to structure/chord progression/genre and the 'tone' of the songwriting
- How are the versions different?
Songwriting challenge
- In pairs write a song with a sense of place
- One person focus on lyrics, one person focus on chords. Combine in the best way that works for you
- You can use locations, character, story as you see fit. Try and KEEP IT REAL
- Set it close to home. Do for Tiverton Parkway what Bruce did for Atlantic City!